Hidden Wings - Part I

The headmaster's office

Draco Malfoy was sitting inside Professor Dumbledore's office on Sunday morning. He had spent the night in the Hospital Wing, mulling about his discovery all night before being called in here.
He was slouching in his chair, his gaze traveling across the room in a bored way.
There were shelves filled with many books, many objects and other weird-looking things.
Draco's bored posture was just for show. Internally, he was watching the headmaster carefully, trying to predict the headmaster's moves. Uncle Severus having taught him the basics of Occlumency, Draco let his memory from last night replay in his mind over and over, taking the part with the Silverwing in case Professor Dumbledore decided to pop into his head.
The headmaster was watching him calmly, a hand absentmindedly stroking the crimson feathers of the phoenix sitting on his desk. His blue eyes gave nothing away, like two clear pools of water with nothing at the bottom. Or there was something at the bottom, but Draco couldn't see it.
"I deeply apologize for that unfortunate accident last night", said Professor Dumbledore, a look of sorrow flashing briefly over his face.
"The Wyverns' shields were not activated properly, it should never have been able to sting you."
Draco nodded emotionlessly, feeling a little surprised that the headmaster actually felt bad for him for almost dying. He was a Slytherin for Merlin's sake. Everyone hated Slytherins.
Maybe Dumbledore just wanted to avoid the paperwork in the case of his death.
"Perhaps you could tell me what you recall from last night?", asked Professor Dumbledore.
Draco had been expecting this. He kept his posture relaxed as he said emotionlessly: "I was- outside and saw Potter walking in the corridors. I wanted to see where Potter was going in the middle of the night, so I followed him. And after walking in the Forbidden Forest  for a bit, I came across the clearing with the dragons. There was this odd-looking one with only two legs sleeping inside a cage, and I wanted to take a closer look. It stung me with its tail when I was close enough, probably because I had woken it up. And after that I don't remember anything anymore."
Draco wasn't stupid. He knew if the headmaster found out he had seen the Silverwing, he would most likely obliviate him.
"You were very lucky", said Professor Dumbledore in a quiet voice, his eyes resting on the phoenix.
"Wyvern poison is known to have killed many in a matter of minutes. Thank Merlin I was with Hagrid to check on the dragons, I was then able to summon Fawkes. His tears healed you."
Liar, Draco thought, but it wasn't as hatefully as he had intended it to be. He was a little taken aback by the old wizard's concern for him.
It's just a tactic, he told himself firmly. He just wants to allay my suspiciousness so I blurt out everything.
"Thanks", he said flatly.
Professor Dumbledore raised his gaze, his clear blue eyes boring into grey ones.
Draco was waiting for the pressure in his mind that always came when someone used Legilimency on him, but it never did.
Instead, the eyes softened and Professor Dumbledore nodded.
"I don't think I need to tell you that your knowledge about the first task is not meant to be shared. Madam Maxime and Professor Karkaroff have both demanded that you take a vow that ensures your silence once you wake up."
The wizard pulled out his wand from his sleeve, saying: "Are you willing to perform the vow?"
Draco nodded mutely and got his wand out as well.
The ceremony of the vow was the same Professor Dumbledore had performed with Mioha, and afterwards Draco felt foreign magic swirling inside him.
"The vow will only hold until the first task, of course."
Draco stood up.
You are a fool, old man, he thought as he turned to leave.
"And Mr. Malfoy?"
The Slytherin looked over his shoulder.
Professor Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling at him as he said knowingly: "While I am sure the House-elves have the best midnight snacks, I would prefer if you would eat in the Great Hall before curfew."
"Yes sir", replied Draco unblinkingly before he shut the door behind him.
His steps were quick as he strode down the spiral staircase, intending on going into the library. He would send a letter to his father at noon, while everyone was at lunch in the Great Hall.
Draco rushed past a few third-year Gryffindors, ignoring their comments about Slytherin and basically jumped down a staircase to get to the library as fast as possible.
Upon entering, the smell of old books and parchment filled his nose. It was very quiet, but its was a pleasant silence, one that filled every bookstore and library you walked into. Madam Pince shot him a warning look as he walked past her, daring him to make a peep.
Draco immediately headed for the section containing books on magical creatures and walked down a narrow aisle, his hand trailing over the cover of the old leather-bound books.
Unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, mermaids, sphinxes, giants,... Draco's gaze wandered up and down as he searched for the right book. This aisle proved to be empty of what he was searching for, so he went to the next one.
He had almost searched through the entire section and huffed in frustration, believing that there was no book about Silverwings, when something caught his eye in the back of the shelf in front of him.
Behind a thick book on trolls was another one, a small book that was so thin it had been pressed against the wall of the shelf and was barely visible in the dim light. Draco had almost overlooked it.
His hands reached forward, pushing the thick book aside to get to the one behind it. Carefully wrapping his fingers around the edges, he pulled it out of the shelf, noticing how old and worn the book looked like.
Its size was not much larger than the palm of his hand, and it barely contained fifty pages. Draco slid the book into his robes with one fluid motion, not planning on alerting Dumbledore by showing Madam Pince what he was reading. Turning to leave, he grabbed a book on phoenixes and walked out of the aisle up to Madam Pince, handing her the book to check it out.
If Dumbledore was watching him, which was likely since the portraits were under his command, it would seem like he would be interested in Fawkes.
He nodded curtly at the librarian and quickly left the silent room, carrying the one book in his hand and the other in his robes.